<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18876">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Nominees for
the Friends Board<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">Vote to be
held at the April 24, 2010, Annual Meeting<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p> </o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Joe Dobbs<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>A life long Missourian, I
attended grade school at the Missouri School for the Blind in St. Louis. I
attended high school in Crystal City, Missouri.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Among my most important lessons were the
use of Braille and the services of Wolfner Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I became a steady
patron of Wolfner in 1965.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After
graduation, I worked as a musician and in a factory.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I also was a manager in the Capital
Building Cafeteria for five years and had a vending route for<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>about seven years.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I found that very rewarding.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I also trained some of the managers who
are managers to this day.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I have
been in consumer groups for the blind and visually impaired for several
years.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I support the blind and
visually handicapped.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I feel very
strongly about the teaching and preservation of Braille for adults and
children.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I do not feel that it is
supported or emphasized enough for its importance in our lives. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I was elected to the Friends Board to
fill a one year term, and then elected to serve a two year term.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I also served on the Friends finance
committee.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I am married and have
two children, and three grandchildren.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I would welcome the opportunity to continue to serve on the Friends Board
and would appreciate your vote.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Nancy Lynn<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>I'm Nancy Lynn, and I'm the
producer of Books And Beyond, a talk show heard weekly on ACB Radio's mainstream
channel. We've been doing that show since the summer of 2006. Although I've
always had a mild interest in books, in 2005 I made friends with someone who
taught me the real pleasure of a good book. I'm sure I've read more in the last
4 years than I had up till that time.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>As for my background, I am
originally from the east coast, having lived in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey
for approximately the same amount of time. I claim both states equally as my
original home. I received a degree in sociology from Lycoming College in
Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1974. As with many of us, my work history is
spotty at best. The biggest job I had is the time I worked for 4 and a half
years at AT&T as a deaf relay operator from July of 1995 until we were
downsized at the end of January 2000. I've lived in St. Louis since March 15 of
2002, which means that, as of this coming Monday, I will have been here for
exactly 8 years.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>I want to serve on this board
because of my recently discovered love for books. This organization has helped
to serve my needs during my time in Missouri, and I'd like to take this
opportunity to give something back.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Willa Patterson<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Hello: Many of you may know me either from
grade and high school or association in various organizations. My name is Willa
Jean Patterson. I am a Missouri native and grew up in greater St. Louis. My
early years were spent in mid town St. Louis and I attended grade school and
high school at the Missouri School for the Blind and graduated in the class of
1964. After graduation, I attended what is now known to many St. Louisans as St.
Louis Community college and later transferred to St. Louis University, home of
the Billican basketball team. Upon graduation from St. Louis University with a
bachelors degree in sociology I decided that it would be to my benefit to
continue my education by attending the St. Louis University School of social
work where I received a M.S.W degree. I have worked for several agencies in the
St. Louis area before relocating to Kansas City where I now reside. I have held
offices in my local church, a very well known consumer organization, and in the
local neighborhood association, Presently I am employed at Alphapointe
Association for the Blind on a part time basis. This gives me an opportunity to
serve in other capacities in the community. Currently, I am working with one of
the senior citizens who attends my church. This project is part of the outreach
work that is done by our local Missionary society. I have several hobbies which
may be of interest to some. They are, reading a variety of books which include
essays by various authors, novels, poetry, history , and biographies. I also
enjoy reading a variety of magazines to keep current of trends in our society,
and other information that is necessary for effective and healthy living. I also
enjoy participating in the local Get Fit club which stresses health at any age.
My participation demonstrates that blind people can effectively participate and
make a contribution to their communities. I have been a patron of Wolfner for
over sixty years and actively support the work that the library does to promote
literacy throughout our state. I am an avid Braille reader and I encourage all
blind people to become literate in the use of Braille. This is not to say that
there is no place for technology for that is incorrect. All of us must be
efficient in the use of our new digital players and be competent in downloading
books from Book-share, the NLS collection DAISY Books and other sources. I would
like to continue to serve as a member for the board of directors of Friends of
Wolfner Library to support the work of the Friends organization and the library
in our state and to assist others in accessing Wolfner's services. I am working
diligently to recruit blind people of all ages to become members of Friends of
Wolfner and the use the library as often as possible. Respectfully submitted
Willa Jean Patterson<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Mary Lee Pendleton<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I started receiving books on record from
Wolfner in the early eighties. I have retinitis pigmentosa and my eye sight
gradually faded until now I have light perception. Since I was a little child, I
was an avid reader. I was in the library in the small town where I grew up
several times a week. I attended William Jewell College and got a degree in
history and Sociology with a minor in Spanish and a teaching certificate for
grades 7 through 12 for Social Studies. As my eyes began to dim, I went from
large print to Braille and Wolfner Library helped me in that transition for many
years. I have enjoyed the changes from the record player to the cassette machine
to now the victor reader. It is such a blessing to be able to go to the web site
and know I can peruse and down load a variety of new books and magazines. I even
down load children's books to sit and enjoy with my grandchildren. It is such a
joy to see their excitement as they hear the readers voices. I also encourage
them to read the printed word from their school libraries but sometimes one
child will say, "Grandma, I cannot find this particular Treehouse book in the
school Library, Could you download it and sit and listen with me?" Of course I
do and I think I enjoy the book as much as he does. For this reason , I want to
help promote Wolfner and allow other visually impaired readers to be able to
find the joy I have each day in books. Not only the visually impaired but those
who have trouble with text. It is like opening a new world for people to
explore. The enjoyment I have had in learning from books is something I want to
pass on. Like one of my daughters said once, "Mom you do not realize that all
the books you read to us and that we listened with you not only given us a
desire to read but when we took our tests to get into college we scored really
high on the vocabulary and reading part. I would appreciate the opportunity to
serve on the Wolfner board and will do my best to carry on any tasks that I am
asked to do.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>